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Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has called on Sport Minister Darryl Smith to account for his $91,910.43 weekend trip to Tobago with 11 officials from his Ministry.
The following is the statement from the Office of the Prime Minister:
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
“The Prime Minister Dr the Honourable Keith Rowley has requested a full report from the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, the Honourable Darryl Smith, on the recently concluded trip to Tobago by the Minister and officials from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago.
“The Minister and Ministry officials travelled to Tobago to attend the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Sports Awards, which was held on Saturday 20 May 2017 at the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort.”
Rowley’s media release comes on the heels of a second exclusive investigate report by veteran journalist and blogger Sharmain Baboolal, which contradicts statements by Smith on his Ministry’s Tobago excursion.
Smith, who described the affair as “a storm in a teacup,” claimed yesterday—to several media stations—that he was only responsible for taking his personal assistant, Cindy Cupid.
However, documents unearthed by Baboolal suggest that the request to take three additional staff members to Tobago, including communications officer Kate Balthazar, came directly from Smith’s personal secretary, Maria-Elena Phillips, and was copied to Permanent Secretary Natasha Barrow.
Further, a printout of flight bookings for Balthazar and Melissa Assam, the executive assistant to the PS, showed that their plane tickets were secured before Barrow was asked to include them in the travelling party.
The Sport Ministry took 12 officials, headed by Smith, to Tobago for three days to attend the THA Sports Awards, which lasted for just one hour and 15 minutes on Saturday night. Ministry personnel presented only one trophy at the ceremony.
Contrary to claims by Smith and Barrow that they held several meetings in Tobago, informed sources revealed that the only other business on the itinerary that weekend was a site visit at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet and the key people for that stop—including CEO Adam Montserin and facility manager Anthony Blake—flew in from Trinidad and left on the same day.
More than half of the Sport Ministry’s touring party, including Smith himself, did not attend the site visit.
Smith told CNC3, on Tuesday 23 May, that his usage of taxpayers’ money at the Magdalena was no big deal since the hotel was owned by the government and “the money stays in the system.”
Editor’s Note: Click HERE to read the Sharmain Baboolal report into the Sport Ministry’s Tobago excursion.
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Where is his hand.
Let not forget the trip to South Africa with rowley
The only thing to investigate here is the size of the entourage. Corruption? Of course not. Wastage possibly…because 12 ppl for the main reason they went there seems excessive.
While we cussing one another because of party affiliation we lose the bigger picture–All these politicians are stealing the patrimony of future generations–When our gran children will be paupers while their grans will be living it up in foreign lands
He should be made to resign. This is scandalous and disgusting to say the least.
Sad thing people trying to justify this by comparing what the last administration did.wasnt that one reason they were voted out,some people need to wake up and realize politicians see about themselves .
Correct..thank u
Thief doh like to see thief with longer bags. Is it that our backward, third world mentality, encourages us to justify corruption, because its our party. Wrong is wrong, right is right. We are fast becoming like Venezuela. when we ccannot afford food, I wonder if we’ll be talking PNM or UNC
So embarrassing
Just how irresponsible and stuuuupid are these ministers??? AND, what about Shamfra??? She gets off the hook! SHouldn’t the PS’s be responsible for informing these ministers of what they are/are not allowed to do??? Is it that they are used to just spend taxpayers money???
Wasnt shamfa’s an error that MANY have made
It is 2017! We have had mobile phones for a few years AND if this how the T&T government wastes money, something is really wrong!
Kamla spend 3 hundred and fifty thousand dollars (350.000 )in roti alone . for 1 day
To please you and make you feel good Theron Orr / The PNM is doing very well and things are running smoothly and every body is happy with no crime and catch ass and the people in TnT is happy/ The PNM is doing great /That is what you want to hear , nice night
Theron your serious with that?
Theron Orr . Who eat most of the roti . And what year the murder rate was over 400. Not saying it didn’t happen just want to know what year.
Yes yes PNM have their A game on , big round of applause for them ???????????? them did it so I can do it tooo……..
Mahadeo Sookoo the same way you know about the murder rate in pmn time. Use that same way to fine out about murder rate in unc time. I did my homework you do yours. I dint eat any roti. That was you and your people.
JoshlinFilbert if u were following world current affairs. U would know that recently that they were concerns about high crime in the region. U show me a country with no crime and I will show u a snake with 4 legs. When pp was in power the murder rate was reading over 400 in 1 year. I never once blame no government for crime. It about the individuals.
Everything Rowley say you believe eh
U believe everything kamla say Dawesh Maharaj?
Dane Roberto the truth hearts; ant it. Now you know life is a bitch. Not everyone can handle the truth. Eg you.
If this person contribute this type of behaviour on social media i could just imagine what he teach is kidds if he got any
BobbyRamlochan u . only reading my comment how about your unc friends. Like Dane Roberto .
So this is what is meant by “Tightening yuh belt?”
I want to see the evidence….. my trip cannot be compared and that cost over fifty thousand for 18persons for five days.
Pnm is a waste of time
Kamla spent 10million on a 12day trip, so…
Bran Ja PNM is doing great also the country is running smoothly / No crime/ Everybody is working and the economy is bubbling/ Hospitals and highways building / All the PNM ministers working hard and no one complaining
Jeez instead of trying to say something intelligent he start by talking about Kamla. Idiot…
Well I guess Cain kill Abel in the beginning so we should start killing each other. Ent according to you dotish PNM LOGIC.
It was probably wrong……but was it corruption or wastage……..i await d report…….u shud to
All ministers was supposed to tighten their belt but looking at that Minister size I doubt you could tighten that belt.
Just mammaguy….watch n see
PNM you looking so bad,well we don’t know who TO trust
I fine all yuh not seeing tje big picture …. if he didn’t kerry she he’da incur roaming fees!
from Tobago?
He’da fine a way
Yuh know ..given the players …is only a “big” picture we could see ?
I want to ask Denish Ramnarine, new C.E.O of the sports company with his stellar record of service to sport, why did he decide to do a free style TOWARDS a sinking ship..Most ‘swimmers’ from Phelps to Bovell head the other way..Is there any record of travel agents making bookings on the TITANIC after it had hit the iceberg? P.S..I hope that you do not have Shamfa on speed dial..
Someone commented about Ato Boldon. I can only guess he had good intentions, but when he saw the light, he shipped out.
It seems when people go in with good intentions, the thought seems to be, if you can’t beat them, join them. If there are long standing members involved in politics who seem to hold on to some integrity, good for them.
I always say politics is where “good reputations go to die”. People may start out with good intentions but eventually leave or succumb to pressure.
The Minister has to answer, but let me throw in the mix. Where is the Permanent Secretary in all this.(Time they start accounting to us the people. regarding the public purse) Who approved and signed off on this. Not the Minister as Moonila told us they don’t sign off money. This begs the question, do Ministers and PS know their role and function with finances which they oversee ?Clearly not. Cudjoe and Smith the two PNM neophytes need to repay these monies.
So what about Daniel and Anil who made away will millions?
TTPS still investigating,
It wasn’t me!!!
Lol
Run this clown out of the cabinet. He had absolutely no regard for taxpayers’ money.
If the PM is going to start that whole accountability business, he may well not have time for anything but reading reports, some of them perhaps bearing the signature KCR.
So why is no one behind bars as yet for misappropriation of funds?
Maybe an investigation can be done on the CoP to find out why no one has been arrested for all the corruption done in high offices during his watch as commish.
You don’t get it do you? If the PNM starts going after the last government what do you think is going to happen to them when the UNC eventually gets back into power? They have an understanding. Also don’t quote the Panday situation because if they really went after him he would still be in jail.
In this day and age that just cant be tolerated. All over the world people who held high office are being hauled to jail.
If we cant depend on the politicians to make anything happen then the masses ought to take to the streets and in front of the homes and offices in their thousands in a show of people force. But our people are too happy with bs and will find the sun too hot. I feel though, action by the masses is the only way to get collective despondant voices heard.
Joan the day you taking to the streets I will come out with you!
He needs to go..or pay it back…na man
He will go….and NOT PAY IT BACK. …..he will stay……and still NOT PAY IT BACK……lol
so close yet so far away
#HeNeedsToPayItBackAndGo
#AndNotOr
Lasana, do you remember Dr Rowley’s first address to the Permanent Secretaries a couple days after he was appointed Prime Minister? I think we were so happy to get rid of Mrs Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves that we overlooked what he was saying. In retrospect, I think he was subtly warning his Permanent Secretaries about the young and the restless within his Cabinet and that they needed to be managed properly.
Marcia, the clip I saw on television was of the PM telling the PSs to look after their Ministers and get along well with them.Perhaps there was more said that was not covered.What I thought ought to have been said was to remind the PSs of their responsibilities as Accounting Officers and of the PM’s and Government’s deep concern at the hundreds of millions of dollars of public funds that are not properly accounted for every year in the auditor’s reports and of the need to be consummate professionals at all times.The latter would have including saying no to improper demands from Ministers.Up to around 2007 I had seen numerous examples of PSs saying no to Ministers and taking their accounting responsibilities seriously.In FA every penny of public funds used to be properly accounted for in the Auditor’s Reports.I and others were therefore mortified to see FA listed in 2014 as the Ministry with the third largest quantum of public funds not accounted for properly and to date there have been no consequences for any of those PSs.
http://wired868.com/2014/08/03/show-me-the-money-lifesport-gets-a-live-wire-audit/
But I said that since earlier. Any fool would know that he decided on the guest list. Whose eyes he thinks he could pull the wool over? Steups!!!
for 12 ppl? then his share is 7500 lol
Idc once it is repaid
Hope he has to repay it
I fully support the PM’s call for accountability on this matter cause something just doesn’t add up here.
You can use Charmaine as your PI
Now Lasana. Time to unearth all the info surrounding the lifesport fiasco that saw the disappearance of billions of dollars
We did loads on that already. Asha Javeed did some great stories. There is more than enough info already published for the Police to act.
There is honor among thieves … they don’t go after their own.
So how does Daryl’s action compare to Lifesport?At least we know HOW the money was spent. Or are we examining his private life?
The country could do with the missing lifesport $400m.
Maybe Kams could tell us where it went.
Wouldn’t Anil Roberts be the better person to account?
Clyde I make it a habit of comparing people’s behavior against best practice. What do you compare them to? Do you think a fair goal is to be a little better than the worst?
It might be embarrassing for you to know that sport staff actually think Darryl has accomplished far less than even corbeaux sweat Brent Sancho.
I know better..His plans will materialize in due course.
Corbeaux sweat? HA
i fed up of everything
He needs to be made an example of
his own come out ,but there are others
We begin with him
is not he alone ,is the whole bunch of them
Time to take to the streets. Lets hear wat the investigation say
life really unfair, most of us citizens living day to day and these politicians playing they selves,hmmm what a thing. we put them there,to live nice off we ink finger.
De next Anil Roberts in de making.
Excellent. Kudos to the PM. Hòpe something comes out if it. Waiting with baited breadth.
I only applaud when people do something. Not when they say they are going to.
Once bitten…
ROWLEY will deal with dumbo!
Allyuh leave Daryl alone eh – he went Tobago to put dong a wuk. On his return he said ‘that was performance’!
After all, 3 extra women went on the trip and no one complained!
Define put down wuk ?
Check the local dictionary ‘Côté ci Côté la’
Not taking no chain-up from anyone! talk done!
So wait, you going on a trip and not aware of who going? Was there even a budget? The tail wagging the dog..look lemme go eat my curry eh
Everything all you fineing false
Dr. Rowley is quite right to ask the Minister to account. In these austere times, such wanton wastage of taxpayers $$is intolerable.
And I agree, my concern is what happens after. I can’t find any justification for this
Remember how many time the axe fell in the previous admin. Let a head roll. Time to show you serious Mr PM
Yes… I want to see some white collar criminals make a jail too
i can fix Cindy’s golf swing…will need about four or five weekends at the golf cou…come to think of it….never mind.
No need to write any report, just send Sharmain’s two articles
Lol. Nah. Smith’s tying himself in knots is about as entertaining as it gets.
Don’t deny Keithos a chance to get a piece of the action.
Lasana Liburd You seem to be having fun, lol
Lolol..Keithos only want to get in on the action, nutten aint happening. The two accounts side by side would be interesting
Llandra, if you don’t laugh you will cry. Lemme do both whenever possible! ??
Your piece was excellent, by the way..
Thanks
True dat